How much cash do you carry?

[Korben]

Originally Posted by svelten

General rule is never go anywhere locally without at least $40 on hand.

I only use cash when there is no other alternatives. Credit cards are great inventions.

random amounts... but i always have hundred tucked away. It has its uses.

 

[ChicagoRon]

Originally Posted by bob99

I like Huntsman's technique too - I'm going to get a $100, a $10, and a $5 to add to my stash. I'm in Canada, so anything below $5 is a coin. Huntsman - why no $50 in your stack o' cash? I've been considering using cash for everything, and not paying debit / credit. It feels more like spending "money" when there are actual bills. And I too have no time for small-timers paying for a $0.99 bottle of soda with a personal check

$50's are considered bad luck.. at least in Vegas. Grant wanted to abolish gambling. I actually get my weekly budget in cash early in the week, and use it almost exclusively to make sure I stick to my budget. I will, occasionally pay with a card, but then I stick the cash in my safe for the next week. Another thing I missed on my original list... credit card numbers are easy to steal.. I go out of my way not to use a card anyplace where they take imprints. Which is a lot of cabs.

 

[kwilkinson]

Is it an Asian cultural thing to carry a lot of money? I know a few Asians who always carry a lot of cash and have a general distrust with banks (nothing crazy or anything, but would rather keep their money on them or at home). I work with an Asian man who has said he noticed it with other Asians as well.

 

[bawlin]

I always have a $20 tucked behind my drivers license in the event that I need emergency cash for something like a cab ride or whatever. At the beginning of the week, I'll go to the bank and withdraw a few $100 bills (less likely to buy stupid stuff when you have to break a bill that big). Prefer using my CC, however (and my CC bill can confirm that!).

 

[Girardian]

I prefer 20s, the most useful bill. I typically carry about $200, but keep about $1K on hand (but not in my wallet) in cash, readily available.

 

[Master-Classter]

I pretty much minimize my cash carrying where possible. I only keep about $40-50 on me, and that keeps me from spending too much. Also, I put EVERYTHING I can on my credit card, which is a practice I only agree with since I am very careful to pay it off in full on time. I believe I use CC's the right way, so it's never a problem, just saves me going to the bank to draw cash all the time. I never put anything on my card that I don't have money in the bank to pay for.

 

[GQgeek]

Originally Posted by kwilkinson

Is it an Asian cultural thing to carry a lot of money? I know a few Asians who always carry a lot of cash and have a general distrust with banks (nothing crazy or anything, but would rather keep their money on them or at home). I work with an Asian man who has said he noticed it with other Asians as well.

That sounds pretty crazy to me.

 

[spertia]

I can't believe all you guys carry so much cash around. I'm lucky if I have $10 or $15 in my pocket at any given time; I normally just use my debit card to pay for everything.

 

[Montrachet]

I try to not carry cash and just use the trusty debit card for everything. Despite this, I usually seem to have about $40 in my wallet at any given time.

Wait a minute, you're not going to compile this thread into a hit list are you?

 

[Huntsman]

Originally Posted by bob99

I like Huntsman's technique too - I'm going to get a $100, a $10, and a $5 to add to my stash. I'm in Canada, so anything below $5 is a coin. Huntsman - why no $50 in your stack o' cash?
I started with just the hundred, but added the others for thing like tolls and subway fare. The $50 didn't serve a purpose -- anywhere that would rate the fifty would take a hundred.

Originally Posted by ChicagoRon

$50's are considered bad luck.. at least in Vegas. Grant wanted to abolish gambling. I actually get my weekly budget in cash early in the week, and use it almost exclusively to make sure I stick to my budget. I will, occasionally pay with a card, but then I stick the cash in my safe for the next week. Another thing I missed on my original list... credit card numbers are easy to steal.. I go out of my way not to use a card anyplace where they take imprints. Which is a lot of cabs.
I didn't know that about fifties. I just know Grant's campaign slogan: "U.S Army, U.S. Navy, U.S. Grant." Not a gambler, o maybe I should add one for good luck.... Cabs take imprints? Not in NYC these days... ~ H

 

[Piobaire]

Originally Posted by ChicagoRon

Au contraire mon frere.. There are a number of reasons I keep cash on hand (like the OP, I have some extra for emergencies tucked away).

1> Some places actually don't take amex (heathen bastards)
2> Must be ready to tip
3> Credit card transactions take time... I hate when I am trying to get somewhere and some small-timer is paying for their $6 Chipotle burrito with a damn credit card
4> Big brother knows enough about me... I don't want to be plugged into the grid every second of every day. Cash is privacy. Privacy is power.


Screw the money clip... get a rubber band

Agree with all points, particularly #4. I have used a money clip for at least two decades. Carry about $200 or so, after reading the same thing about muggings. Some security expert said that was about the right amount.

 

[ChicagoRon]

Originally Posted by Piobaire

Agree with all points, particularly #4. I have used a money clip for at least two decades. Carry about $200 or so, after reading the same thing about muggings. Some security expert said that was about the right amount.
If you guys are up for a fun read, the Amarillo Slim biography "In a World Full of Fat People" is a fantastic fun book. He tells a great story about how having a rubber band on his cash saved his life.

 

[bob99]

I am not Asian, nor am I distrustful of banks, but I also keep about $1k in cash on hand (at home) should some sort of emergency arise.

I thought the $50 could come in handy for bribe situations, where $100 was too big, but $20 was not enough. I don't bribe that many people in my daily activities, but perhaps you do.

A quote from the great George Carlin:

"Here's another pack of jack-offs who oughta be strangled in front of their children! People who pay for inexpensive items with a credit card!

Folks! Take my word for this! Raise-a-nuts is not a major purchase! Get some ******* cash together! No one should be paying a bank 18% interest on tic-tacs! And you're holding up the ******* line, too! Some dorky-looking prick with a fanny pack waiting to be approved for a bag of cheese doodles! I need this like I need an infected scrotum!

Get some ******* money! Next guy ahead of me pays for Newsweek with a credit card is getting stabbed in the eyes!"

 

[fuji]

I don't carry a credit card so I usually have about $300 on me.

 

[gomestar]

I never have more than $20-30 on my at any one time. I use the debit card for everything.

I disagree with this:
3> Credit card transactions take time... I hate when I am trying to get somewhere and some small-timer is paying for their $6 Chipotle burrito with a damn credit card

while some machines are damn slow (my argument excludes these), the cafeteria and cafe at work have switched to a card-only system with the hope of making transactions faster and to ease lines. They have worked very well, a quick swipe (no signature) is all that's needed. It takes longer to take out the card and then replace it than to actually pay. And there is nothing worse than being behind Mrs. "1.64? I think I have 64 cents on me, let me check. Here's 50, I'm going to dig around my purse for the other 14. Here's 2 dimes just in case, but I think I have a nickel and some pennies somewhere, let me see...."